Waters of Change
by Kesshi Mashin
Summary: Bloodied hands aren't so easily washed clean... A Ranma Nibunnoichi/Rurouni Kenshin fusion.
1. Scars

Waters of Change

By: Kesshi Mashin

A Rurouni Kenshin/Ranma Nibunnoichi fusion.

For entertainment purposes only. No infringement intended. Ranma 1/2 is owned by Takahashi Rumiko. Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Author's Note: This isn't canon Ranma or Kenshin, you really don't need any previous knowledge of either to read this fanfiction, though it is helpful. Some ideas were also taken from Samurai X, a prequel of sorts to Rurouni Kenshin. 

italics: past

* *: thoughts

Any C&C is welcome at: fxffects@hotmail.com

Reviews are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Be sure to visit my ffn page! http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=61420

Prologue: Scars

"I have in equal balance justly weighed what wrongs our arms may do, what wrongs we suffer, and find our griefs heavier than our offenses." 

~ Shakespeare, 'Henry IV, Part Two,' IV,i,67

China

Spring

15 years ago...

... The assassin automatically wiped his bloodied sword on his victim's clothes, as he eyed the remaining guard carefully. Several dead bodies littered the ground, dead eyes still wide in surprise, as blood continued to pool about their still carcasses. The remaining guard was trembling in fear, struggling to tighten his grip on his sword handle, as he stared at the red-haired assassin. 

"Hitokiri Battousai," he whispered, as he began to edge away from the bloody scene, panic plain on his features. 

The assassin's ears perked at the title, and he shifted his stance slightly, bringing his sword back to his side. "Defend yourself," he whispered, as his sword suddenly flashed forward in a wide arch, neatly severing a nearby wooden pillar in half. The guard squawked in surprise, as he barely dodged the strike, and stumbled back onto his back. He rolled to one side, as the assassin slashed at his head, the blade missing his head by scant centimeters. The guard jumped to his feet, raising his blade in defense, as the assassin dashed forward, sword slamming into his. Sparks flew, as the two traded blows, the sound of clashing steel filling the air...

... The guard backed up several steps, as the assassin abruptly ceased his assault. The assassin slowly brought a hand up to his left cheek, and touched the light cut on it, his eyes widening in surprise as he blankly stared at the blood on his hand. 

"You... cut me," he whispered, causing the guard to further back up. The guard unconsciously shivered, as the assassin's gaze seemingly bore into his very soul, and shakily brought his sword up, swearing lightly. The assassin sighed, and sheathed his sword, as red flames seemed to flicker alive about his body. Gripping his sword hilt, the assassin's eyes seemed to burn with an eery yellow glow, as he silently began mouthing a small mantra. The red flames flared, as the assassin suddenly ceased chanting, and drew his sword...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

... 15 years ago...

"The mission is completed, Mistress Cologne," the assassin whispered, as he bowed stiffly to the small, diminutive figure regarding him speculatively, staff in hand. 

Cologne nodded once, as she hopped over to the bowing assassin, using her staff like a pogo stick. 

"Very good, my son. I assume there were no witnesses?" she asked, full well knowing the answer. 

The assassin simply shook his head once, as he looked up at the small old woman eyeing him. Brushing back a stray red hair, the assassin grimaced, as he absently brushed a light red scar tracing his left cheek. 

Cologne frowned, as she noticed the cut, and cocked her head slightly. "A wound?" she asked, surprise in her voice. The assassin nodded once, as he dropped his hand. 

"I was careless," he mumbled, as the wound suddenly reopened, and began trickling blood down the side of his face. 

Cologne sighed, as she reached forward, and dabbed at the open cut. "We will need to stitch this," she muttered, as the assassin flinched slightly at her touch. Lightly shrugging off the hand, the assassin wiped the blood off his face, and bowed once more to the woman. 

"I have a request of you, mistress," he whispered, as the blood continued to trickle down, staining the wooden floor. Cologne nodded once, and waved for him to continue. "Mistress, I wish to retire from this line of work," he whispered, as the old woman nodded at the request. 

"We still have need of your skills, my son. Perhaps, in time..."

The assassin merely nodded his assent, as blood continued to drip down his cheek...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Winter

15 years ago...

... "T-Tomoe," Kenshin whispered, as sword fell limply from his grasp. Tomoe smiled slightly, as she reached up and gripped his hand lightly, tears streaming down her face. 

"K-Kenshin," she whispered, as Kenshin knelt down and gathered her into his arms. 

"Tomoe, I..." Kenshin began, as he felt his voice catch in his throat. Tomoe smiled, and weakly reached up, placing a finger against Kenshin's lips. 

"Ssh, my love," Tomoe whispered, as she raised her dagger up to rest gently against Kenshin's scarred cheek. "Forgive... forgive me, my love," she murmured, as she dragged the dagger's point across his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood. "Please, forgive me..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

... 15 years ago...

... Cologne watched, as Kenshin slowly laid Tomoe's still body within their small cottage, and sighed to herself. "Poor child," she whispered, as Kenshin lightly placed a veil over Tomoe's serene face. "Kenshin," she called out, as Kenshin turned, and stepped out the door, closing it behind him. 

"I found the spy," she said, as Kenshin silently gathered together a small pack set beside the door. "I have acquired another assassin, and have dispatched of the spy," Cologne continued, as Kenshin struck and match, and lit a small torch. 

"And?" he whispered, as he turned to wearily eye Cologne, his eyes still red and tired. 

"We still require your skills, my son. The Musk are consolidating their power in the East, and the Japanese are..." 

"I understand," Kenshin whispered quietly, as he bowed to the Amazon matriarch. Cologne nodded once, and began to hop away, occasionally glancing over her shoulder at the somber redhead. 

"I am sorry if my intentions caused you pain, my child," she whispered, as she adjusted her straw hat slightly. Kenshin nodded once, and shouldered the pack, gripping the purple cloth wrapped about his sword tightly in one hand. 

"I will aid the Amazons in ridding the world of the Musk. But that is all I shall offer," Kenshin whispered lightly, as he tossed the torch onto the thatch roof, watching blankly as flames began to engulf the house. "After the battles have been done..." 

"You will withdraw your sword," Cologne stated, as she observed the redhead through the corners of her eyes. 

"It would not honor Tomoe's memory to die as a swordsman," Kenshin replied, as tears began to stream down his face. "I... I have already done so much... it just wouldn't do... to add to my sins..." 

Kenshin stared wearily back at the burning house, as he reached up and traced the cross-shaped scar on his cheek, tears streaming down his face. "Forgive me, Tomoe," he whispered, as he turned away from the house, and began trudging down the dirt path. "Forgive me..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

End of Prologue

Author's Note: Dumb ffn, not letting my italics show up....


	2. Introductions

Waters of Change

By: Kesshi Mashin

A Rurouni Kenshin/Ranma Nibunnoichi fusion.

For entertainment purposes only. No infringement intended. Ranma 1/2 is owned by Takahashi Rumiko. Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Author's Note: This isn't canon Ranma or Kenshin, you really don't need any previous knowledge of either to read this fanfiction, though it is helpful. Some ideas were also taken from Samurai X, a prequel of sorts to Rurouni Kenshin. 

italics: past

* *: thoughts

Any C&C is welcome at: fxffects@hotmail.com

Reviews are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Be sure to visit my ffn page! http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=61420

Chapter One: Introductions

"Here you go, ma'am," the waitress said, as she set the bottle of sake onto the table, smiling brightly at the brooding redhead before her. 

"Thanks," the redhead mumbled, as she reached out and poured herself a small shot full of the alcohol, downing the liquid in one gulp. The waitress nodded curtly, and bustled off towards another table with another bottle of sake. The redhead continued to down shots of sake, hiccuping slightly, as the alcohol began to take effect...

After her seventh shot, the redhead wearily reached into her hakama, withdrawing a well worn leather bound book. She sat there for several minutes, merely staring at the book, as tears began to well in her eyes. Shaking her head slightly, the redhead quickly tucked the book away inside her hakama, patting it reassuringly. Leaning back in her chair, she crossed her arms over her chest, as she stared up at the fan spinning lazily above her head. "Tomoe..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

China

Summer

15 years ago...

"What are you thinking?" Kenshin asked, as he gently tightened his arms about Tomoe's slim waist. Tomoe sighed, and leaned into the embrace, lightly nuzzling the base of Kenshin's neck as she wrapped her arms about his neck. 

"I was thinking... you could've been happy," she whispered, as the two slowly walked over to the sofa, still in each other's arms. 

"Oh?" Kenshin murmured into Tomoe's ear, as he gently laid her onto the sofa, brushing aside a stray hair from her angelic face. Tomoe nodded, smiling, as she reached down and began to untie her obi, tugging Kenshin down for a kiss with her other hand. 

"I saw you in the garden today," she continued, gently caressing the scar on Kenshin's cheek. "You could've lived like this, if you hadn't picked up a sword. You could've been happy with some land, some seeds to plant..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

... The redhead downed another bottle of sake, and glanced at the wall clock, idly wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "Check..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"... Yes, Ms. Himura. Is there anything else I can do for you?" the bell-hop asked, as he slowly straightened from his bow. The redhead slowly shook her head, as she pressed a few yen notes into the bell-hop's hand. 

"No, thank you, Ataru," she replied with a soft smile, as Ataru pocketed the yen. "Just some privacy. I need time to think..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"... Hello, Saotome residence," the voice greeted cheerfully over the line. The redhead grimaced slightly, as she shifted her grip on the phone. 

"Y-yes, may I please speak to Saotome Genma?" she stammered out, as she began twirling the phone cord about her finger idly. 

"May I ask who's calling?" the voice asked, causing the redhead to sweat slightly. 

"Ah, Kenshin," the redhead finally answered, biting her bottom lip nervously. 

"Wait a sec," the voice replied curtly, leaving the redhead to fidget slightly during the ensuing silence... 

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"Genma," a voice finally replied over the line, startling the redhead a bit, before she regained her composure. 

"Hello, father..."

~~~~~ Interlude ~~~~~

"Battousai strikes again. Ha." The concealed figure laughed humorlessly, as he crumpled the newspaper in his hands and tossed it aside, sighing as the wad of paper bounced off the rim of the waste basket. "I need a drink..."

The door in the far corner of the room slid open, revealing an orderly young butler, with a bottle in one hand, a telephone in the other. "A call from Kyoto, sir," the butler announced, as he set the bottle down on a nearby table, handing the phone over. 

"I thought the line was to be held open in case-" the man started, clearly irritated at the interruption. 

"The operator insisted," the butler cut in, nervously shuffling about in place. The man grumbled lightly under his breath as he took the phone, quickly reaching over towards the bottle. 

"What?" he snapped into the phone, as he sloppily poured himself a cup of the pungent liquid, the red contents spilling onto the tabletop. He sighed softly to himself, as he leaned back and sipped at his drink, smiling, as he downed the red concoction. He nodded lazily, as he listened to the caller, idly staring into the roaring fireplace, the flames casting long shadows throughout the room. After a long silence, the man nodded, as he slipped into the only seat in the room, and reclined back, sighing as he heard his bones pop and groan. 

"Take care of him, then," he finally replied, before handing off the phone to his butler, who bowed, and quickly shuffled out the door. 

"So you're still alive," he muttered under his breath, as he poured himself another cup, spilling a bit more of the red liquid onto the table. "Himura..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

The other line was silent for a long while, causing Kenshin to fidget slightly in her seat, as she waited for her father to answer. 

"R-ranma?" Genma finally asked, shock plain in his tone. Kenshin chuckled slightly at the name, as she leaned back in her chair slowly. 

"I do not go by the name of Saotome Ranma anymore, father. It's-"

"Himura Kenshin," Genma finished Kenshin's train of thought, a bit of disdain filtering through the line. 

Kenshin scoffed lightly at the obvious distaste, and plopped onto her bed softly. 

"I see you read the letters Khu-lon sent you," Kenshin whispered, as she stared up at the slowly rotating fan blades overhead. There was another long pause, as the breathing on the other end became a bit more relaxed. 

"You disappeared after the war, son-"

"Daughter," Kenshin corrected, smirking as Genma sputtered for words at the statement. 

The sputtering eventually stopped, and Genma laughed humorlessly over the line. "You actually did it," he stated more than asked, drawing a light chuckle from Kenshin. 

"Was there any other way, father?" Kenshin asked incredulously, fiddling with her long bangs. 

"No, I guess not. I was just worried when the key player in the Chinese-Musk War seemingly vanished from the face of the earth without a trace," Genma said after another pause. "So it seemed."

There was another lull in the conversation, as Kenshin idly scratched her head, trying to think of some small talk. "Sooo.... who was the girl who answered the phone?" she asked timidly, twining the phone cord about her finger nervously. 

Genma sighed at the comment, and muttered slightly under his breath. Kenshin blinked, sitting up on the bed, as she strained to hear the mumbled words. "She's what?"

~~~~~ ~~~~~

End Chapter One


	3. Cat Got Your Tongue?

Waters of Change

By: Kesshi Mashin

A Rurouni Kenshin/Ranma Nibunnoichi fusion.

For entertainment purposes only. No infringement intended. Ranma 1/2 is owned by Takahashi Rumiko. Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Author's Note: This isn't canon Ranma or Kenshin, you really don't need any previous knowledge of either to read this fanfiction, though it is helpful. Some ideas were also taken from Samurai X, a prequel of sorts to Rurouni Kenshin. 

italics: past

* *: thoughts

Any C&C is welcome at: fxffects@hotmail.com

Reviews are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Be sure to visit my ffn page! http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=61420

Chapter Two: Cat Got Your Tongue? 

China

Autumn

25 years ago...

"... You've dug graves for both your family and their murderers," Cologne muttered under her breath, as she shifted the sake bottle slightly in her grip. The young pigtailed child slowly looked up at the shriveled woman, and brushed aside a stray red hair. 

"They were not my family. They were a band of slave traders. I was sold to them when my damn father fell into debt," the boy whispered, as he finished setting the last stone into place. 

"But, last night, they became more than that," he continued, as he blankly stared out into the distance, tears streaming down his face. "I had wanted to gather them flowers. But all I could find were these ugly rocks..." 

"No one could expect more, child," Cologne replied. She slowly hobbled over to the grave sites, and uncorked the bottle of sake, slowly pouring the fluid onto the makeshift graves. "No one should go to Nirvana without having the sweet taste of sake upon their lips," she whispered, as the last of the liquid splattered onto the small stones. 

"I could've done more. Father would've expected more," the child retorted stubbornly, idly wiping his face with the back of his bloody gi. 

Cologne snorted at the comment, and quickly sized the boy up through the corners of her eyes. "I highly doubt that, child," she replied, slowly turning away from the graves. 

"Teach me," the child whispered after a pause, causing the matriarch to freeze mid-step. "I saw you earlier. Teach me to fight like that."

Sighing, she crept up to the top of her staff, and preceded to po-go off. "I already have a pupil," she called over her shoulder, frowning as she noticed the boy begin to follow her. "Leave me, boy," she barked out, eyes narrowing slightly. 

The boy quickly shook his head, and stubbornly folded his arms over his chest. "Teach me," he repeated, frowning, as the shrunken woman stopped cold in her tracks. 

"Prove yourself to me, child, and I will teach you," Cologne replied after a pause, turning to face the young boy. 

The boy grinned suddenly, and cracked his knuckles, as his eyes glowed a disturbing yellow. "Get me a cat, and I'll show you what I can do..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"Meow."

Kenshin's eyes fluttered open at the sound, her hand already instinctively reaching for the long bundle beside her, senses on full alert.

"Meow?"

Kenshin glanced down at the small kitten in her lap, nearly sighing in relief, as she reached out and gingerly patted the kitten lightly on the head. 

"Hey, Yasha," Kenshin murmured, as she continued to pet the kitten, smiling as it purred in contentment at her touch. 

Gathering the kitten into her arms, Kenshin stared blankly out the window, as the train slowly ground to a halt. 

*Kyoto,* she thought numbly, as she quietly gathered her belongings, a long bundle and the small kitten, and began walking towards the exit. She quickly slipped off the train car, hopping down the last few steps, and slowly took in her surroundings. 

"I'm home," she whispered, a smile tugging at her lips, as she looked about at the nearly desolate station. "Home..."

~~~~~ Interlude ~~~~~

"I'm lost," the traveler growled lowly, as he angrily crumpled the map in his hands, tossing the paper ball over his shoulder. 

"Where the hell am I n-?" the traveler began, before noticing a billboard a few feet away from where he stood. As he read the sign, the traveler's mood became much darker, his mouth quirking into a scowl as sickly green flames began to form about his trembling form. 

"NO!!! KENSHIN, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Kenshin's nose wrinkled suddenly, as the tickling sensation in her nose became too much. 

"ACHOO! Ah, sorry, Yasha..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Ayame sighed softly to herself, as she contemplated the dojo ceiling. Solid oak support beams, a few cobwebs... oh look, another hole needing patching in the ceiling. Of all the things she did everyday, Ayame spent the most time contemplating the dojo ceiling. 

*Twelve thousand, eight hundred forty two tiles,* Ayame thought idly to herself, as a trickle of water dripped from the ceiling onto her forehead. *Thirteen patches... make that fourteen-*

"AYAME!"

"I'm up, I'm up," Ayame mumbled under her breath, as she slowly got to her feet, cursing her sensei under her breath all the while. Ayame looked up at her sensei, still grumbling under her breath, as she assumed a loose fighting stance...

"KIYA!!!"

"Owie..." Ayame groaned, as she slid down the dojo wall head first, collapsing into a heap on the hardwood floor. Ayame sighed softly to herself, as she, again, contemplated the dojo ceiling. *Definitely need to patch that hole...*

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"Saotome School of Musabetsu Kakuto Ryuu," Kenshin read aloud, as she glanced down at a fairly wrinkled postcard in her hands. "I guess this is the right place."

Steeling her nerves, Kenshin slowly pushed open the front wooden gates...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Ayame slumped against the dojo wall, gingerly nursing her fat lip, as her sensei rambled on about the refined art of unrestricted unarmed combat. 

*Blah blah blah, kick, blah blah, butt, blah blah blah....* 

"AYAME! Have you been paying attention to anything I've been saying?"

Ayame sighed, and slowly shook her head. *Here it comes...* she thought wearily, as she braced herself for another rant on the finer points of attentive students.

"I said, there's someone at the gate. Could you go greet them?"

Ayame blinked, as she slowly lowered her hands from her ears. "No rant?" she asked hopefully, as she quickly stood and began inching towards the dojo doors. When no reply was forthcoming, Ayame hurriedly dashed out the doors, her long reddish brown hair quickly trailing behind. 

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"A koi pond," Kenshin whispered with a smile, as she knelt down beside the small pond, staring at the flashy koi swimming about in the clear liquid. She let out a delicate laugh, as she watched Yasha curiously bat at the large goldfish, quickly jumping back from the pond as soon as its paw treaded water.

"Meow?"

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Ayame shifted about in the shrubbery uncomfortably, as she continued to observe the rather stunning redhead. 

*Now who is she?* Ayame thought idly, as she watched the girl settle down beside the koi pond. *Well, no sense in being rude. Sword or not, she doesn't seem all that dangerous.*

Nodding affirmatively at her clever reasoning, Ayame quickly stood and dusted off her black gi, before starting to walk over to the redhead to gre-

"Meow?"

Ayame froze in place, as the demonic beast howled its horrible battle cry, the fearsome sound sending shivers down Ayame's spine. *Oh gods no...* Its horrible, blood-thirsty cry caused Ayame to slowly inch away, somewhere, anywhere, as long as it was far away from that hideous being. That starved, hungry, ravenous...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Japan

Summer

4 years ago...

"Are you sure momma said you could do this?" an eleven year old Ayame asked, as she stared down into the dark pit, all the while scratching at the sausage links wrapped about her body. 

Genma rolled his eyes, as he finished tying on the last piece of meat, and patted Ayame reassuringly on the head, as he gently pushed her towards the edge of the pit. 

"Of course, of course, Nodoka gave me her blessings, now hop into the pit before mommy gets back from the market..."

... half an hour later... "AAH!! AAH!! FLUFFY, NO!!!!! ARG!!!! MOTHER !&$#^_^*^@*&#^, OW!!! AAAAAH!!!"

Genma sighed heavily, as he stared down into the dark pit, now covered with steel mesh. "Have you mastered the neko-ken yet, girl? Girl? Ayame??"

Genma began to sweat when no reply was forthcoming, and glanced franctically at his watch. "Oh gods, only half an hour into the training, and she's dead already. Doka-chan's gonna kill m-"

"AAH!! CAT'S GOT MY TONGUE!!!! AAAH!!! HORRIBLE PUN, I KNOW!!!! ARG!!!!!!"

Genma sighed in relief, as sounds of renewed anguish floated out from the pit. "Oh good..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Ayame shivered at the memory, sweat trickling down her face as she relived the moment. T-the claws, the teeth, the horrible biting and bad puns... Fluffy's chilling grin as he tugged at her tongue...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"Meow?"

Kenshin giggled softly, as she reached over with a small hankerchief to dry Yasha's damp paw.

"Silly kitt-"

"AAH!!!"

Kenshin rolled to one side, the long bundle in her grasp already unfurled to reveal a scabbarded katana, as she quickly searched the area for the source of the noise. 

"C-C-CAT!!!"

Kenshin blinked in confusion, dropping her guard, as she watched a red-haired girl, no older than fifteen, scream in horror and dash away from her. "Oro?"

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Genma sighed to himself, as he walked over to the visitor, adjusting the hankerchief slightly on his bald head as he watched his seemingly possessed daughter dash by in a blur.

"The gods help me... what a hopeless daughter..."

He tsked softly to himself at his daughter's disgraceful exit, and quickly walked towards the visitor, who was slowly wrapping up a rather worn katana up in a purple cloth.

"Help you, miss...?" Genma asked, blushing lightly, as he got his first good look at the lady visitor. *Oh my...*

Kenshin glanced up from the bundle, and quietly stood up, tucking the bundle under one arm. Standing straight, she slowly looked a now red in the face Genma up and down, occasionally scrunching her nose, as she scratched at the back of her head, seemingly deep in thought.

"A bit more wrinkly, a bit fatter... and bald... arms look a bit flabby..."

"I beg your pardon, miss?" Genma sputtered out, flustered by the woman's rude, albeit accurate, evaluation of himself. 

Kenshin bit back a light giggle, blushing slightly as she realized how rude she was being. 

"Sorry, pops, it just seems as though life at home's made you a bit soft," Kenshin joked, as she playfully punched Genma's right arm.

Genma's face flushed red with anger, as he restrained himself from knocking some sense into the strange girl. "Now see here, miss..."

"Tsk tsk, father father father. Don't you even recognize your own son?" Kenshin asked with a grin, as Genma froze, mid-sentence, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"R-ranma?" Genma sputtered, as he slowly reached out and poked Kenshin's forehead, still in disbelief. 

Kenshin bobbed her head cheerfully, as she spread her arms, dropping her bundle onto the ground. "Dad, it's so good t-"

Still quite shocked by the turn of events, Genma slowly looked down, and pointed in shock at Kenshin's chest. "B-but, y-you..."

Kenshin sighed, and gently tugged open her hakama, exposing her red bra. "I thought you already knew abou-"

Genma's mind nearly shutdown, as he noticed the bra. Seemingly in a daze, Genma reached over, and quickly yanked open Kenshin's hakama completely, baring her breasts. 

"GACK!" 

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Ayame peered out from behind the dojo walls at the stranger and her father with some air of suspicion. 

*I don't trust that woman,* Ayame thought with a frown, as she watched the two carefully. *Anyone who owns a c-c-cat can't be good,* she reasoned.

Her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets, when she saw the woman expose her chest to her father. *THAT HUSSY!*

Ayame nearly fell over when her father reached over and completely tugged open the woman's hakama. 

*THAT CHEATING BASTARD!* she thought angrily, as she reached into her gi, quickly whipping out the mallet Akane-san had loaned her the other day. *C-cat be damned, those two are so gonna die,* Ayame thought resolutely, as she dashed forward from her vantage point, mallet at the ready. 

"PREPARE TO DIE, HUSSY!!! POPS, YOU PERVERT!!!"

~~~~~ Interlude ~~~~~

"O-o-oy! Look, I said I'm sorry about the billboard! I'll pay for another one! O-oy! Damn!"

The traveler slammed his fist against the cell wall, as he glared at the prision guard reclining opposite the bars in a rickety wooden chair, quietly dozing in the afternoon heat. 

The traveler continued to slam his fists into the cell wall, which was slowly cracking under the traveler's fists, as the green flames began to flicker about his body again. 

"CHE! CHE! CHE! SPRICHT JEMAND JAPANISCH HIER!?"

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

End of Chapter Two

Note: You may be wondering why Genma was so surprised about Kenshin's... breasts. And why Kenshin/Ranma (who are one and the same) wasn't freakin out around the cat. Well, yeah.... Wait for chapter three, everything will be explained then. 

Oh yah, spricht jemand japanisch heir is German for does anyone speak Japanese here. Well, I dunno if it's grammatical structured right an' all, but... -_- leave me be.

For those who care, this story is set sometime during the early 1990's.


	4. Filler

Waters of Change

By: Kesshi Mashin

A Rurouni Kenshin/Ranma Nibunnoichi fusion.

For entertainment purposes only. No infringement intended. Ranma 1/2 is owned by Takahashi Rumiko. Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Author's Note: This isn't canon Ranma or Kenshin, you really don't need any previous knowledge of either to read this fanfiction, though it is helpful. Some ideas were also taken from Samurai X, a prequel of sorts to Rurouni Kenshin. 

italics: past

* *: thoughts

Any C&C is welcome at: fxffects@hotmail.com

Reviews are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Be sure to visit my ffn page! http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=61420

Chapter Three: Filler

China

Spring

14 years ago...

Kenshin stared blankly down at Cologne, then eyed the worn book she was holding. "What's that?" he asked, scratching idly at the patch covering his left cheek. 

Cologne smirked lightly, as she flipped open the book to a marked page. "A better disguise than that patch, son," she cackled, as Kenshin pulled the patch off, revealing his criss-cross scars. 

"Oh?" he asked, cocking his head slightly, as he idly skimmed through the selected page. "And how are folktales and myths...?"

Cologne merely snapped the book shut, frowning as she tucked it back into her sleeve. "Really, child, you should know by now not to question me." 

After bopping Kenshin lightly on the head with her cane (i.e., beating him senseless), Cologne continued on with her explanation. "How do you think people would react to seeing the infamous Hitokiri Battousai wandering the streets, Himura?" Cologne asked, causing Kenshin to blush slightly. 

"But, the patch-"

Cologne scoffed, cutting off Kenshin's reply with a wave of her hand. "Not all people are as blind as Mzu-tse," she replied curtly, causing Kenshin to blush even harder. Cologne withdrew the book, and smirked. "Now, how would people react to seeing a pretty young girl wandering the streets..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Kenshin smiled softly at the memory, as she dipped a small towel into the steaming bowl beside her senseless father.

"Wake up, father..." Kenshin whispered softly, as she applied another hot towel onto Genma's forehead.

"Oh, God, I just had the strangest dream," Genma groaned, as his eyes flickered open. 

"Hi," Kenshin chirped cheerfully, as she pecked Genma lightly on the forehead. She grinned slightly, as Genma's eyes nearly popped out their sockets. 

"Calm down, father," Kenshin gently chided, as Kenshin laid another towel onto Genma's head. Genma merely blinked, then began to fall backwards, eyes rolling back into his head.

"Oh, no you don't, father," Kenshin muttered, as she grabbed Genma's gi tightly with one hand and pulled him up, slapping him about several times before he stirred awake.

"Ranma?" he asked fearfully, as the redhead nodded affirmatively. 

"I prefer Kenshin nowadays tho-"

"Oh, God help me..." Genma interrupted, as he rubbed at his throbbing temples. "How am I going to tell Nodoka that her only son is gay?" 

Kenshin started at the last comment, and cocked her head to one side, blinking several times in surprise. "Oro?"

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"... and that's basically what happened," Kenshin finished, as she sipped at the warmed sake. Genma nodded, as he downed another bottle of sake. His hands shook slightly, as he poured himself another cup. 

"S-so, that's the story," he stammered out, as he gulped down the alcohol, automatically pouring himself another shot. He stared down at the steaming cup of sake, and shook the cup slightly. 

"See, the situation isn't as bad as it appears," Kenshin added, smirking. Genma nodded, and sipped at the sake. 

"So, the curse isn't permanent?" he asked, sweating bullets as he waited for Kenshin's response. Kenshin smiled, and slowly poured herself another cup of sake. 

"Hot liquid reverses the process," she replied, as she doused herself with the hot sake. Genma stared at Kenshin, as he witnessed the change of forms with barely concealed astonishment, a small grin forming on his face. Kenshin pulled a towel from within his hakama, and began toweling off his long red hair, as Genma's grin continued to widen. 

Kenshin glanced up at his grinning father, and frowned slightly, as he tucked away the towel. "What are you so happy for?" he asked, running a hand through his hair. Genma merely shook his head, and got to his feet, pulling Kenshin up as well. 

"You'll see, my boy," he answered vaguely, as he dragged the red-haired boy out the front door. "But, first-" 

Genma paused, slowing to a stop, as he looked about the front yard, a puzzled look on his face as he glanced over at Kenshin. "Oy, boy, where's your sister?"

"Sister?" Kenshin asked, a blank look on his face as reached into his hakama, pulling out a small water canteen. Genma frowned, as Kenshin poured the water over his, now her head, but didn't press the matter much as he reached into his gi. 

"A short little redhead, about yea tall, mallet about this big?" Genma elaborated, whipping out a small photograph of an angry redhead wielding a large mallet. Kenshin blinked, a small sweat-drop forming on the back of her head, as she held the photo in one hand.

"Oh..." she murmured, quietly tucking the photo into her hakama, as a faint red blush spread across her cheeks. "Oroo... well, you see," Kenshin began, nervously scratching the back of her head at the question. Finally, she pointed towards the body shaped hole on the far wall, chuckling sheepishly as she cracked a wry grin...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Japan

Summer

a few hours ago... 

"DIE!" 

"Oro???" Kenshin uttered, wide-eyed, as she stepped aside to avoid having her head taken off by an enormous mallet, which flew past in a blur, mere centimeters from her nose. 

"DIE!"

Unfortunately, the mallet was dead on target with Genma's. Kenshin watched as the mallet slammed directly into Genma's face, carrying his considerable girth off the ground and into the koi pond in that one blow.

"YOU TOO, BIMBO!" Ayame screamed, as she twirled about and attempted to hammer the redhead into the ground, pounding away with reckless abandonment against the...

"Huh?" Ayame sweatdropped, as she stopped pounding away at her mother's rose bed. *Oh god, oh god, oh god, mom's gonna kill me, what am I gonna d-*

"Um, excuse me, miss?"

Ayame's head snapped up, as she followed the voice towards the roof, where the bimbo sat, perched lightly on the weathervane. The bimbo had a perplexed look on her face as she stared down at the mauled flower bed, her mouth quirking into something of a grimace as Ayame slowly grew impatient.

"WHAT!?" Ayame screamed, as she waved her mallet about wildly over her head.

"You missed a spot," Kenshin replied with a grin.

*I am so gonna ring that scrawny little...* "SHUT THE HELL UP, SMART-ASS!" Ayame screamed, slamming the mallet against the house several times, shaking it slightly with each blow. "NOW, GET... DOWN... HERE!" She punctuated each word with an earth-shaking swing of the mallet against the house wall, which was quickly crumbling under the heavy abuse. 

The bimbo seemed to consider the demand for a moment, before smiling brightly and shaking her head. "No... why don't you come up here?" she replied in a sing-songy voice, smiling cutely as she hopped off the weathervane to sit on the red roof tiles. "Okay?"

Ayame ground her teeth together, as her grip on the mallet tightened, the handle cracking a bit under the strain. *Damn aapaa...* "I SAID," she began again, this time winding up a bit as she took aim at the wall, "GET DOWN HERE!" 

"Oro??" was all Kenshin got out, before the house collapsed beneath her...

... A rather soggy and bruised Genma crawled out of the koi pond, gingerly nursing a rather crooked nose as he looked about for the two redheaded hooligans. 

"GET DOWN HERE!"

Genma's jaw dropped, as he watched a section of his house crumble to pieces, and promptly fainted...

Ayame smiled brightly, leaning slightly against her mallet, as she surveyed the rubble which had once been the main furo. *All in a day's work,* she thought brightly, as she tucked the mallet back into her gi, the massive weapon seemingly fitting comfortably within the shirt. 

"Ouchie..."

Ayame watched the bimbo crawl out from beneath the wreckage, her grin widening as she noticed that the bimbo was looking rather worked over. *Guess I showed her who's boss...*

"Serves you right for making a pass at my old man, slut," Ayame chirped happily, as the bimbo slowly got to her feet. Her eyes widened suddenly, as she stared at the male figure standing before her. Granted, he was wearing a bra, but he was undoubtedbly male. 

Kenshin glanced down at his soaked clothing, frowning as he patted down his chest. "Hot water," the red-haired male muttered, as pale green flames slowly began to flicker about his body.

Ayame gulped nervously, as waves of heat rolled over her body, and numbly let her mallet slip from her grip. "W-who are you?" she asked, her voice shaking uncontrollably as the strange man glanced up at her, surprise plain on his face.

"Ah, damnit," Kenshin cursed under his breath, as he glanced up at the redhaired girl, who was watching him with a bit of curiousity and... fear? Crouching low, he let the flames condense about his taunt frame, red hair flaring behind him slightly, as a he flashed a cocky grin. "Don't blink..."

"Wha-?" was all Ayame got out, before everything went black...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"... And well, I... uh," Kenshin mumbled, scratching the back of her head nervously as Genma continued to stare at the body-shaped hole in the wall. 

"I think I hit her a bit too hard..."

~~~~~ Interlude ~~~~~

... The guard slowly fell to his knees, clutching his right arm in pain, as blood started to bleed into the sleeve, turning it a dark crimson colour. He began to tremble slightly in fear, as he watched the assassin approach his fallen comrade, sword dripping blood as it slowly arched back for one swift blow. He quickly averted his gaze, face white as a spray of blood splattered against his jacket, turning it an even deeper red, almost purple colour.

"Please don't kill me," the guard began murmuring, as he slowly curled into a small ball, wrapping his arms about his knees as he awaited his fate. "Please don't kill m-" 

The guard trailed off, as he felt cold steel gently press against his neck. "Take off your clothes," a voice whispered into his ear, as the steel blade pressed harder against the guard's skin, breaking the skin and drawing a thin line of blood. The guard barely tilted his head, as he slowly began removing his overcoat...

*... I'm alive,* the guard thought numbly, as he stumbled through the bloody streets, occasionally tripping over one of his fallen comrades' bodies. The guard shivered slightly, as a cool night's breeze blew through the area, carrying with it the smell of sulfur and the dead. 

The guard paused, as he noticed a few of his comrades stumbling along the opposite side of the street, a few limping badly, others being carried along. He smiled brightly, as he waved at the ragtag group, shivering again as he tugged at the assassin's tight hakama.

The group paused, as they noticed their lost comrade, who was crying tears of joy by now, his smile ever widening. *I can't believe I made it, I can't bel-*

"IT'S HIM! FIRE AT WILL!" one of the guards yelled, as he noticed the assassin stumble into view, mockingly waving at the group, as he flashed them his chilling smile. "FIRE, FIRE!!!"

Time seemed to slow for the guard, his smile falling as he watched his comrades level their rifles, taking aim at him. He suddenly looked down at his clothing, his eyes wide in horror, as he finally realized why the asssassin- 

"NO!" the guard screamed, as the first shots were fired. The guard fell to his knees, mouth wide open in surprise, as a volley of bullets tore through his body...

... the assassin carefully watched the scene from atop a nearby rooftop, sighing as the guard was riddled with bullets. *My best hakama,* the assassin thought with a frown, as he quickly slipped back into the shadows, adjusting his guard uniform slightly as he sheathed his katana...

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

End of Chapter Three

Note: This was a sort of filler chapter. I put it here to explain why Kenshin's a girl, and, uh.... well, writer's block is really killing me right now, so I couldn't really think of anything else to add to this chapter. Oh well, I promise chapter four will be much more clarifying, and, might I add, a lot longer. My pre-reader (baka-koneko...) pointed out that my 'chapters' were only seven or so KBs long. Gomen, I'll try harder to make it longer. Ja!


	5. The First Beast

Waters of Change

By: Kesshi Mashin

A Rurouni Kenshin/Ranma Nibunnoichi fusion.

For entertainment purposes only. No infringement intended. Ranma 1/2 is owned by Takahashi Rumiko. Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Author's Note: This isn't canon Ranma or Kenshin, you really don't need any previous knowledge of either to read this fanfiction, though it is helpful. Some ideas were also taken from Samurai X, a prequel of sorts to Rurouni Kenshin. 

italics: past

* *: thoughts

Any C&C is welcome at: fxffects@hotmail.com

Reviews are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Be sure to visit my ffn page! http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=61420

Chapter Four: The First Beast...

'Whoever has ears ought to hear these words. 

Anyone destined for captivity goes into captivity.

Anyone destined to be slain by the sword shall be slained by the sword...' 

~ Revelation, 13:9-10

China

Autumn

11 years ago...

"... Mistress Khu-lon."

Cologne awoke with a start, staff already in hand as her eyes roamed about the dark room for the speaker. She sighed in relief as the speaker slowly stepped out from the shadows. "Kijo."

"Prince Saffron has joined with the Musk."

Cologne cursed lightly under her breath, as she briskly hopped off of her bed, adjusting the sheets slightly. "Is your source reliable?" she asked, glancing nervously at the half concealed messenger.

"Her lordship Kiima informed me of the shift of power during an assignment near Jusenkyo."

"It can't be," Cologne groaned, as she wearily rubbed her temples, feeling a migraine coming on. She pogoed over to a heavy oak chair near her desk, plunking into the chair heavily, as she continued to warily eye the messenger. After a slight pause, Cologne glanced up at Kijo, brows furrowed as she reached into her robes. "I have another target for you, Kijo," she whispered, as she tossed a wrapped parcel towards the messenger, who lazily caught it in one hand. 

The messenger unwrapped the parcel slightly, pausing as a piece of the object was revealed. "Gekkaja."

Cologne nodded solemnly, as the messenger tucked the weapon away for future use. "You have until dawn, Kijo," Cologne called out, as the messenger silently slipped out the front door. As the door slid shut, Cologne couldn't help but shiver, as she slowly hobbled over to her bed. "Scary..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"... How hard did you hit her?" Genma asked curiously, as he stepped through another body-shaped hole. "I'm counting fifteen walls so far!"

Kenshin shrugged nonchalantly, as she gently picked through some of the rubble. "Oro... I've counted seventeen..." She quickly turned to the occupants of the house, briskly bowing, as she whipped out a small hammer. "Gomen, gomen, I'll have your hole patched up in just a second..."

"Oy! Kenshin! I think I've found her!" Genma called out, pointing at a body imbedded into the side of a small bus. 

The redhead casually glanced about the area, a blank look on her face as she absently rummaged around in her hakama for a few nails. "Where, father?" Kenshin asked, a puzzled look on her face, as she whipped out a few boards and a bucket of paint.

"Nani?" Genma muttered, as he turned about to see the bus quickly drive off. The blood quickly drained from his face, as sweat began to bead on his forhead. *Oh my God, if Nodoka finds out that I lost another one...* "OY! OY! SOMEBODY STOP THAT BUS! OY!!"

~~~~~ Interlude ~~~~~

"Anything to declare?" the customs offical asked, as he lazily looked over the passport handed to him. His eyes widened somewhat when he flipped open the small blue book. "Miss... Shampoo, is it?" he murmured, quietly pocketing the yen notes tucked within the passport. 

Shampoo nodded, her long purple tresses waving gently about her petite frame. Her eyes briefly flickered down to glance at the duffel bag at her feet, as she retrieved her passport. "I have... old aqauintances to catch up with," she replied with a smile, placing the duffel bag on the conveyor belt.

"Shampoo..." the customs official whispered lightly, turning his back towards the luggage x-ray screen. "Chinese?"

"Close," Shampoo replied, as she stepped through the metal detector and retrieved her bag. "It's Amazon..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Kenshin stared out the train window at the passing urban city of Kyoto, idly toying with her empty tea cup as she hummed along with the music playing over the train speakers. Genma sat opposite her, gently dozing in the warm afternoon sun. Ayame sat beside Genma, also dozing, occasionally scratching at the assortment of bandages and braces riddling her bruised and battered body. 

"Damn bimbo," Ayame murmured in her sleep, snarling slightly, as she shifted about in her seat fitfully. 

Kenshin smiled softly at the comment, gently stroking Yasha's fur as the kitten scrambled up into her lap. "I don't think my sister likes me that much," she whispered to the kitten. 

"Meow."

"F-Fluffy..." Ayame grimaced, and buried her head into the seat, as she continued to talk in her sleep. "The puns... the horrible, horrible puns..."

Kenshin giggled delicately, and continued to stroke the purring kitten...

~~~~~ Interlude ~~~~~

... Nodoka poured her guest another cup of tea, and set the pot down on the table top. "I'm sorry, miss, you just missed them." She smiled, and reached behind her. "Cookie?"

"Ah, no thank you." Shampoo stared longingly at the chocolate confections, before returning her attention back to the smiling hostess. "Would you happen to know where he might've gone?" she asked politely, as she took another another sip of her tea. "I would really appreciate it."

Nibbling delicately at one of her cookies, Nodoka briefly stared off into space, a thoughtful look on her face. "Hmm... I believe Genma mentioned something about Nerima..."

"Arigato, Saotome-sama." Shampoo quickly got to her feet, and shouldered her pack. "That's all I needed to know..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

"I'm sorry, ma'am, the last train bound for Nerima left half an hour ago." The ticket vendor yelped in surprise, as a rather colorful mace embedded itself into the countertop.

"Which direction?" Shampoo hissed, as she dislodged her bonbori. 

The vendor raised a shaky hand, and pointed behind him, as beads of sweat began to roll down his forehead. "Tunnel 23-"

"Thank you!" Shampoo chirped, tucking her bonbori into her duffel. *Heading east, so...* "Higashikaze!"

The man blinked, watching dumbly as the girl levitated off the ground, and began speeding down through the tunnel at break-neck speeds. "No... no," he mumbled, mouth hanging open in disbelief as he watched the girl disapear into the tunnel. "No problem..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"... are we there yet?"

"NO."

"... now?"

"Sir, we will be in Nerima station in under an hour," the stewardess ground out, glaring balefully at the husky man. "Now, for the last time, sir, PLEASE stop asking me."

Genma plopped back into his seat, grumbling slightly under his breath as the stewardess quickly walked off. "Some service." He glanced down at his watch, before quickly shuffling out of his seat. "I'll be right back."

"Dumb dadi," Ayame muttered, as she leaned back in her chair slightly. "Gods, my back hurts..."

Kenshin's ears perked at the complaint. "I know some shiatsu points which could eleviate the pain," she offered, smiling at the other redhead. 

"Touch me and die." Ayame stared down at her new found 'sister' with her one good eye. *If I can just reach my mallet...* There was an audible crack, and Ayame bit back a small whimper of pain. "Ite..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"Eenie... meenie... mienie.... MO!"

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Genma sighed in relief, as he plopped down onto the john. *Ah, Tendou, just another hour, then we can fi-* His train of thought stopped dead in its tracks, as a giant steel blade stabbed down from the ceiling, dangerously close to his-

"EEP!!!"

Well, let's leave it at that...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"EEP!!!"

Shampoo's face turned a dark shade of red, as she quickly turned away from her makeshift peephole. "Ara, soo sorry!" she called out, and quickly hopped over towards the next cart, still blushing furiously. *I think I'm gonna be sick...*

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Genma stiffly stood and secured his pants, then promptly fainted...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"Ok, ok, this time, I'm sure of it," Shampoo muttered aloud, as she brought her sword back over her head...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

End Chapter Four

Author's Note: Oy, that took a long time. Yes, the ending of chapter four is a bit abrupt... so sue me. Anywho, thanks to all of you who have read this far and have reviewed the story; I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Anywho, this is the last SHORT chapter I will put out. From now on, I'm gonna strive to make my chapters at least 20+ kb, and I'll try and improve my writing skills and such. Hey, I'm still in high school! Give me a break!

Updated AN: Chapter Five will be posted very very soon, so sit tight!


	6. A Glint of Steel

Waters of Change

By: Kesshi Mashin

A Rurouni Kenshin/Ranma Nibunnoichi fusion.

For entertainment purposes only. No infringement intended. Ranma 1/2 is owned by Takahashi Rumiko. Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Author's Note: This isn't canon Ranma or Kenshin, you really don't need any previous knowledge of either to read this fanfiction, though it is helpful. Some ideas were also taken from Samurai X, a prequel of sorts to Rurouni Kenshin. 

italics: past

* *: thoughts

Any C&C is welcome at: fxffects@hotmail.com

Reviews are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Be sure to visit my ffn page! http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=61420

Chapter Five: A Glint of Steel...

They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee ... saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms? 

~ Bible, 'Isaiah' 14:167

China

Winter

11 years ago...

... Cologne slumped against a nearby grave marker, panting for breath as she stared at the shadowy figure at the far end of the graveyard. "Such power," Cologne whispered to herself, glancing down at the huge bloody tear running down the side of her robe. She had long since stopped the bleeding, but the open wound still hurt with every little movement. 

The cloaked figured silently drew back its katana, the stainless steel shining brightly in the moonlight. "A puppet of yours no longer, Khu-Lon," it whispered softly, as it slowly began approaching the aged matriarch, weaving through the cemetery at a leisurely pace. 

"It was always your choice, child." Cologne stared up at the approaching figure, her vision blurring somewhat with each breath. "I never forced you to..." 

The figure scoffed at the last comment, as its blade arched forward. "Of course you didn't, old woman," it murmured sarcastically, as Cologne's lifeless form toppled to the ground, its head rolling a little ways off. "Of course you didn't..." 

~~~~~ ~~~~~ 

"One of those days." 

The stewardess stared down at the bald man lying haphazardly in the bathroom, head floating ever so gently in the toilet bowl. A few bubbles occasionally rose to the surface of the tranquil waters, reassuring said stewardess that the man was still, indeed, very much so alive. Much to her chagrin. She looked back at one of her fellow stewards, who merely shrugged and walked away, chuckling lightly. The stewardess turned her attention back towards the man, and considered her options. Her previous efforts to physically remove the man had resulted in a pulled muscle; the man was sheer deadweight. She had considered lifting the man's face out of the water... but, then again, his face WAS in a toilet. 

*All those germs...* 

Lacking a better course of action, she resumed nudging the still body with the toe of her shoe. "Sir? Sir? Refreshments will be served shortly..." 

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Ayame stiffly sat back down into her seat, carefully eyeing the slumbering kitten in her sister's lap as she did so. 

Kenshin looked up from a book she had been reading, and glanced at Ayame inquisitively. "So, did you find out where he is?" 

Cat momentarily forgotten, Ayame flashed the redhead a huge grin, and nodded towards the bathrooms. "Oh, he's enjoying some refreshments..."

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"Ok, ok, this time, I'm sure of it," Shampoo muttered aloud, as she brought her sword back over her head. "KES-OOF!" 

~~~~~ ~~~~~

... Kenshin wrinkled her nose a bit, and idly looked about the cabin, a puzzled look on her face. "Oro?" 

~~~~~ ~~~~~

*Bridge.* 

Shampoo mentally sighed, and attempted to pull herself out from the side of the bridge, but to no avail. A few thoughts came to mind, some much too vulgar to mention, but with one standing out among the rest. 

*... owie.* 

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"Is he dead yet?" one of the children asked, while they continued to poke and prod the fat man lying in the bathroom unconscious. 

"I dunno, but I still need to go," another muttered, staring longingly at the toilet. 

"Hey, cool, check this out." One of the children reached over and flushed the toilet. The children crowded around the bowl, and watched the man's head whirl about in the bowl, making loud banging noises as it bumped against the sides of said bowl. "Ooh." 

Ayame stepped into the bathroom, and peered over the kids' shoulders. She smiled at the sight of Genma's head being flushed; her smile widened considerably when she noticed the plunger beside the toilet. "Hey, wanna see something REALLY cool?" 

~~~~~ ~~~~~ 

China

Autumn

11 years ago...

"... Hitokiri Battousai," Herb whispered hoarsely, the words rolling off his forked tongue lazily. He glanced over at his two fallen comrades, their still twitching bodies pooling blood on the marble floor. He frowned in disgust as Mint's severed head landed with a sickening plop onto the ground besides its body, its eyes still wide in shock. "Very good show," he ground out, eyes flaring a dark red as he drew his sword. 

Kenshin wearily brought his sword to the ready, the blood-soaked steel flashing ominously in the dim chambers. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu Forbidden Technique," he murmured in a low voice, red flames slowly flickering alive about his body. 

Herb's own aura flared alive about him, bathing the room in an eery reddish black light as it expanded out into the antechamber. "I will have your head, Himura," Herb hissed, baring his sharp fangs at the chanting assassin. 

"The last one, Tomoe," Kenshin whispered, eyes glowing a piercing yellow, as he sheathed his bloody katana. The red flames slowly began expanding outwards from Kenshin's still form, forcing Herb back a few steps from the intense heat. 

Sweat began to bead on Herb's forehead, as he watched the flames quickly expand outwards from the red-haired assassin. "What the hell...?" Herb muttered under his breath, as he watched the assassin shift his stance slightly, hand hovering above the sword's hilt as the red flames began to blur Kenshin's form. 

"Forgive me, Tomoe," Kenshin whispered, gripping the sword hilt tightly in one hand, the flames rapidly beginning to condense about his tense form. "Shounetsujigoku," he mouthed silently, quickly drawing his sword, watching as the Musk emperor drew back his own sword, Herb's eyes flaring blood red...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

"... Miss? Miss?"

Kenshin quickly stirred awake, as an impatient stewardess began to poke her arm with a rather sharp pen. "Yes?" she asked politely, casually eyeing the pen mark on her hakama sleeve. *Aw, not the red one...* 

The stewardess sighed in relief, and pointed over towards the bathroom. "Are they yours?" 

"Oro?" Kenshin turned around in her seat, and spotted her unconscious father, head immersed in toilet water; Ayame was busily plunging away at said father's head, while a handful of kids continued flushing the toilet. "Oro..." She turned back towards the stewardess, a lone sweatdrop winding its way down the side of her face. "Would you take them if I said no?" she chuckled, a slight blush beginning to spread across her face... 

~~~~~ ~~~~~ 

Genma sat back down in his seat, a none too pleased look on his face. His bandanna was still dripping wet from his time in the bathroom, but Genma chose not to remove the piece of cloth. He gave his younger daughter a venomous look, and resisted the urge to knock some sense into the currently cowering girl... well, at least for the duration of the train ride. "When we get home, young one, I swear..." he began, before pausing, an evil smile working its way onto his face. "I'll have your mother deal with you when we get home, girl." That comment seemed to cause Ayame to further shrink into her seat. 

"We have arrived at Nerima station. Will all passengers bound for Nerima please disembark at this time," one of the stewardesses announced over the train P.A., as the train slowly ground to a halt. "And, thank you for riding Tokyo R & R. 

~~~~~ ~~~~~

... So you never explained why we needed to go to Nerima so suddenly. Kenshin gave her father a curious glance, and tugged lightly on a sleeve, intent on receiving a plausible answer. I didn't even have a chance to greet mother yet. 

Ayame piped up first, a smile gracing her face for the first time since Kenshin's arrival. We're here to visit Tendo-sama! she chirped cheerfully, adding an extra spring to her step at the name. She's the best fighter I've ever seen before! I bet she's even better than... Ayame made a show of looking about for someone to compare her idol to, before her eyes locked on her older sister.' I bet she's even better than YOU. 

I wouldn't doubt it, Kenshin replied casually with a smirk, causing her sister to frown; that was apparently not the response Ayame was looking for. After a few longer moments of silence, she again directed her original question towards her father, causing the old man to sweat quite a bit. Kenshin frowned, and idly reached down to fiddle with her sword pommel. *What are you up to, old man...* 

Oh, you know, my boy, just had some business to attend to... Genma allowed his explanation to trail off, apparently nervous about continuing. He continued to sweat bullets, fearfully eyeing the katana at his son's side. Though Kenshin had reassured him that it was just a sakabatou, Genma's fears were not quelled in the least; memories of Nodoka's bokken rampages filled his mind, and he shivered in remembrance. *While not exactly deadly, Doka-chan's bokken is still a force to be reckoned with,* Genma thought with a frown, carefully eyeing his son walking before him; he had to be ready, in case she decided to bludgeon him to death with her harmless' sword for his transgressions. 

Whatever, father... Kenshin sighed in annoyance, and vowed to figure out her shifty father's plans, and soon. *If he tries to sell me again...* Images of bludgeoning her father over the head with her sakabatou filled the redhead's mind, and she quietly cackled in glee. 

The trio continued on their trek through the relatively empty city streets in silence, as the first street lamps began flickering on... 

~~~~~ ~~~~~ 

Shampoo leapt atop the nearest rooftop, and stared down at her quarry, eyes blazing with hate at the sight of the small slip of a woman. Doubt briefly made itself known to the Amazon, as she continued her observation of the redhead; this frail woman couldn't possibly be the great Hitokiri Battousai... Her feelings of doubt continued to pester her, until the redhead turned her head to the side to address the old man Shampoo assumed was her father. she growled under her breath, quickly spotting the former assassin's trademark cross-scars on one cheek. Readying her weapons, the purple haired warrior lept off the rooftop, dropping down towards the unsuspecting trio... 

~~~~~ ~~~~~ 

... The faint rustle of clothing was all the warning Kenshin received; it was all she needed. Shoving her father and Ayame aside, Kenshin quickly crouched low into a defensive stance, and drew her sword, bringing the blade up to deflect a sword strike meant to cleave her head in two. She grunted somewhat in exertion, as the full weight of her attacker pressed down onto her sakabatou, and she dropped onto her back, using her attacker's momentum to toss the unwanted burden off to one side. Her eyes widened in horror, however, when she saw that she had tossed the attacker onto her younger sister. *... shit.* 

Shampoo blinked in surprise when she went airborne again, and landed with a muffled oomph' onto a nearby girl. Scrambling to her feet, the Amazon lifted the body that broke her fall up as well, shifting her grip on her nodachi so that the business edge rested lightly against the young girl's pale white neck. She looked up to see her target hesitate at the sight of the hostage, and she tightened her hold on the small girl. Back off, Shampoo growled in warning, shuffling back with her hostage in tow. 

*That voice... that face...* Kenshin's eyes lit up in recognition. she stammered out, struggling to discern more of the girl's features in the dim lighting. *There's no doubt about it,* Kenshin thought numbly, berating herself slightly for not recognizing the purple hair sooner. Shampoo? Shampoo, what are you doing? She took a step towards her one-time acquaintance, unsure what to make of the situation at hand. 

*As if she didn't know,* Shampoo mentally scoffed, irritated that Kenshin would feign ignorance. I've come for revenge, Battousai, she replied coldly, pressing the nodachi harder against Ayame's neck, drawing a thin line of blood. 

Kenshin's mouth firmed into a frown as she noticed the thin trickle of blood running along the nodachi's edge, and she took a step towards the pair. I don't know what you're talking about, Shampoo, but it doesn't involve the girl. Kenshin's frown hardened when Shampoo held her ground, pressing the blade even harder against Ayame's neck. Let her go. 

The Amazon narrowed her eyes at the former assassin's play at duplicity, and pressed the blade harder against the girl's neck, eliciting a soft whimper from her hostage. She gave the old man trying to sneak up behind her a meaningful look, and pulled the nodachi slowly across the girl's neck, drawing even more blood and whimpers. That seemed to stop the old man in his tracks. Shampoo returned her gaze to Kenshin, her gaze seemingly daring the redhead to try anything. 

The silence was almost palpable, as the two warriors continued to stare each other down. Tendrils of crackling energy began coursing about the two opponent's bodies in preparation for the duel to come, the light from each respective aura illuminating the dark night with a brilliant bluish hue. Kenshin narrowed his violet eyes slightly, and leveled her drawn sakabatou at the purple haired Amazon. Her gaze flickered towards Shampoo's hostage briefly, and her grip tightened on the wooden haft as the world began to take on a golden sheen. Let her go, Shampoo, Kenshin ground out in Mandarin for the Amazon's benefit, teeth gnashing together with barely restrained rage. 

Shampoo smirked at the genuine concern she could hear in her target's voice, and shifted her grip on her nodachi. *Soft hearted fool.* Ayame gave out a slight yelp, as her captor suddenly tossed her aside into the arms of her nearby father, sending the two tumbling towards the ground. Shampoo paused for only the briefest of moments, watching, waiting in anticipation as the diminutive redhead's gaze flickered over towards her sister for only a second. Seeing her chance, the Chinese Amazon hurtled towards her target at nearly impossible speeds, death in her eyes as she brought her nodachi back for the final, devastating blow. *Great-grandmother, I have avenged you...* 

Ayame screamed out, as Kenshin noticed, too late, a glint of steel from out of the corner of her eyes... 

~~~~~ ~~~~~

End Chapter Five

Author's Note: Ah, the dry-spell is over, and another chapter is finally finished. I tried to make it longer, and it is, but not by much. I'm not really that good a writer (isn't it obvious?) but I think I've gotten better over the years. My fight scenes are a bit lacking, however; there wasn't much in this chapter, simply because I wanted to build up the suspense an all. Plus, I'm tryin to write a halfway decent fight scene, yanno? Hmm, maybe I should get a pre-reader soon... 

Anywho, I'll try to get the next chapter out... bah, before my birthday. That's in a few months. If you've read my profile, yanno I'm not gonna be posting anything online for a few months while I sort out my life and the mess its become. I got some personal things I need to figure out before I bury myself in writing again. Maybe I'll see you guys again in a month, maybe later. But I will be back. In the meantime, please check out my other works; I can guarantee that they don't... suck. I think.... 

~ Kesshi Mashin


	7. Portraits of the Past I: Beginnings

Waters of Change : Interludes

By: Kesshi Mashin

A Rurouni Kenshin/Ranma Nibunnoichi fusion.

For entertainment purposes only. No infringement intended. Ranma 1/2 is owned by Takahashi Rumiko. Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Author's Note: This isn't canon Ranma or Kenshin, you really don't need any previous knowledge of either to read this fanfiction, though it is helpful. Some ideas were also taken from Samurai X, a prequel of sorts to Rurouni Kenshin. 

* *: thoughts

Any C&C is welcome at: fxffects@hotmail.com

Reviews are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Be sure to visit my ffn page!

http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=61420

Soon enough, you will also be able to find me at The Lost Library of Florestica! Come on by!

http://www.rakhal.com/florestica/kesshi/index.html

Portraits of the Past: 

Vignette I - Beginnings

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. ~ Lao-tzu, 'Tao Te Ching'

Mainland China

Autumn

25 years ago... 

The boy is talented for one so young. Cologne hobbled over towards the young boy's limp form, favoring her left side slightly. Her gray, wispy hair appeared a bit mussed, and her overall appearance somewhat disheveled, but the old shrew appeared none the worse for wear. Using her sizable staff, the ged Amazon rolled her opponent over onto his back, eliciting a slight groan from the still comatose young boy. She quickly assessed the boy's injuries before lifting the unconscious bundle and tossing him over one of her shoulders. This will prove to be most promising, she mused to herself, as the pair made their way down the beaten path towards the Amazon village.

The bundle strewn across the ancient's shoulder began to stir awake, and bright blue eyes framed by crimson locks blearily began to take in their surroundings. D-did I win? he groaned out, his voice still hoarse from before.

The diminutive elder flashed the young boy an unsettling grin, and gently patted him on the back, allowing herself a small cackle. You did well enough, Ranma my son, you did well enough.

Ranma nodded in satisfaction, and slumped back down against the downy folds of the Amazon's robes, sighing in contentment. That's... good...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

... 25 years ago...

... Shampoo stared curiously at the red-haired boy lying atop her great-grandmother's cot, and, on an impulse, extended a tiny finger to idly poke at one of the many lacerations adorning the young boy's face-

Young one, my patience wears thin. Cologne peered up from the noxious concoction she was currently tending to, and leveled her ever trusty staff at her charge. Hands to yourself, or I double your speed' training.

The purple haired young girl quickly retracted her finger at the thought of more speed' training (i.e. avoiding being bludgeoned by a certain wooden staff), and settled for merely staring at the boy before her. Shampoo called out after a few minutes of simply staring at the boy, willing him to awaken with just her thoughts (and subtle proddings unbeknownst to her great-grandmother).

Cologne let out a heavy sigh, and set down a rather interesting bowl of purplish-red liquid onto the table. She hopped down from her elevated stool and hobbled over to her great-granddaughter, towering an impressive 2 inches above the 6 year old. Impressive, indeed. My child, is it not apparent that I am busy with my work? Large beady eyes stared down at expressive purple ones, not blinking for all of two seconds before Cologne was forced to turn her gaze away from the overly... adorable sight. *That child is too damn cute,* she thought with some fondness, before turning back to face her future successor, this time with a grin crinkling her leathery face. What is it, young one?

Shampoo felt her heart skip a beat at the grotesque sight before her, but controlled the sudden urge to up and leave in a hurry; instead, she leveled the most darling smile she could muster at the gnome before her, in the hopes that her questions would soon be answered. Great-grandmother, why are you torturing the red haired girl?

The urge to face-fault nearly got the better of the matriarch. Nearly; it was undignified for someone of Cologne's standing to face-fault, no matter how merited it was, and Cologne managed to keep herself in check. Eye twitching ever so slightly, the ancient Amazon placed what passed for a hand onto Shampoo's shoulder, and gave her an inquisitive look.... well, attempted to, anyway. All that was really noticeable was the fact that her head tilted slightly to the left, but her facial features stayed mostly the same... but the narrator digresses. Now, how did you come to a strange notion such as that, my child? she asked in as soothing a tone as possible, i.e. her normally raspy voice with a disturbing lilt to it. 

Shampoo seemed to mull over what she was about to say in her mind for a few moments before replying. Well... the screams at night, the sound of hissing and things breaking, all those cuts and bruises on the girl's body...

It's a boy, Shampoo.

The young girl blinked for a few seconds at that revelation, and looked back over at the alleged male with a small measure of doubt. 

Cologne cackled lightly in amusement, and began to usher her great-granddaughter out of the room when she noticed that the boy was slowly stirring awake. Shampoo, dear, all that you need to know is that I am helping the poor boy, alright? She gave the young girl one final nudge and closed the door behind her, making sure that the locks were in place before turning her attention towards her newest charge. Steeling herself for what was to come, Cologne nodded towards the young boy, who nodded back, and hobbled towards a small cage in an adjacent room. She paused, and made a point of drawing the blinds closed, and smirked at hearing a small on the other side of the window.

I think I can control it better now, Ranma whispered in a low voice, as he began to brace himself for what was to come. He felt drops of sweat begin to roll down his forehead in nervous anticipation, but willed himself to stay as calm as possible. He glanced down briefly at the lacerations criss-crossing his arms, feeling the tuggings of a faint smile when he noticed that they had already begun to heal. *Almost got it...*

The matriarch shuffled back into the room, carrying a small travel-sized cage along with her. She glanced over at the still shaking redhead, and gently set down the cage. Are you ready, young one? she asked in a hushed tone, her hand reaching for the front latch on the cage.

Ranma nodded in determination, and gripped the edges of the bed tightly, as purple swirls of color seemingly drifted across the blue plains of his eyes. Do it.

With that last bit of confirmation, Cologne unhooked the latch, and watched nervously as a small black kitten crawled out from the plastic cage, eyes fixed upon a suddenly still redhead...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

... 24 years ago...

... I feel... different, Ranma thought aloud, as he gently caressed his new pet. Shinta purred in contentment, and lazily lounged in the redhead's warm lap, enjoying the attention being lavished on it.

The fear no longer controls you. Cologne shuffled over to the young boy, and peered deeply into his eyes. They no longer resembled that of a clear summer sky, the purest, most innocent blue imaginable; instead, dark, piercing magenta colored eyes stared back at the old crone, a reflection of the power now brewing within the young boy. It saddened the matriarch somewhat to see the loss of innocence in one so young, but it was unavoidable. Still unfortunate, though. You are a new person now. She scratched her chin in mock thought for a few seconds, before an idea came to her. And, seeing as how you're to be my new student-

Ranma perked up a bit at that, and stared eagerly at the white-haired ghoul, the mere prospect exciting for the young boy. 

Cologne smiled a bit at Ranma's unbridled enthusiasm; it was a rare quality in young ones, these days. She paused, and carefully chose her next few words, ensuring that they meant what she wanted and nothing else. To celebrate, why don't we choose a new name for you?

The young boy seemed a bit taken aback by the odd suggestion, and cocked his head to one side, giving Cologne a curious look. What's wrong with my name? he asked, puzzled.

Cologne cursed herself at her lack of preparedness, and said the first idea that came to mind. It's just Amazon tradition, she said matter-of-factly, hoping that the boy wouldn't press the matter any further.

Ranma mulled over the given answer for a few minutes before finally nodding his acceptance of the explanation. Ok, why not. He paused. So what's my new name?

For the second time that day, the matriarch felt nervousness grip her, until her eyes spied the katana resting just above the fireplace on a modest, wooden display rack. She glanced back down at the redheaded youth, and a name suddenly came to mind. Cologne grinned widely, and patted the young boy on the head. Kenshin. Himura Kenshin...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

... 17 years ago...

... I'm not sure I'm ready yet.

Cologne patted her redheaded charge affectionately on the head, ruffling a few of his unruly bangs, and wagged a bony finger at the timid young boy. Now, now, my son, you must not shy away from this opportunity being offered to you. She finished adjusting Kenshin's hakama and reached into the sleeves of her robe, pulling out an extremely long case that, by all rights, should not have been able to fit in there, let alone be concealed from any prior detection. This is for you, she said with a smirk, holding the case above her head with both hands.

Gingerly, Kenshin extended a hand and undid the latches securing the box, and opened the cover. A small gasp escaped his mouth, as the 14 year old stared down at the contents of the box in disbelief. Finally, he found his voice and sadly shook his head, closing the box and latching it shut. No, mistress, I cannot accept these.

Take them, Cologne insisted, this time setting the case onto a nearby table. I have grown too fond of the bare-handed arts to have any desire to use these anymore. She opened the case and retrieved the contents within, holding them up for Kenshin's inspection. Take them, young one.

Kenshin looked down at the black-sheathed katana and matching wakizashi for a few moments longer before nodding and accepting the two blades, carefully tucking them into his belt. He slowly drew the katana from its sheath and stared at the scarred and weathered surface, eyes tracing every flaw in the steel, before giving Cologne an appreciative smile. These were yours, he said matter-of-factly, sheathing the weapon with ease that came only with years of practice.

And now they are yours. Cologne pogoed over towards the door atop her staff, looking expectantly at her young apprentice. Come now, Himura, we have a tournament to win...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

... 16 years ago...

... A crack of lightning briefly illuminated the area, the smell of burning flesh filling the night air. Cologne looked down into the blood stained streets from her vantage point upon a nearby roof, watching with dead eyes as the few remaining survivors carried off the dead to be buried or burnt. A few children limped about the village, seemingly in a daze as they weaved through the piles of dead bodies. A few hoarsely called out for their parents, while tears dripped down others' cheeks. She spared a glance over at her ward, who merely stood there, eyes calmly taking in the destruction that was wrought below. I didn't believe the news we had received from our sister villages until now. Cologne blinked back a few tears, and shifted her grip on her staff slightly. Perhaps I didn't want to believe...

Cologne sharply turned about in place, and began to walk away from the chaotic scene, a faint glimmer of her aura visible even in the light rain that had begun to fall. Come Kenshin, we have much work to do at the village.

The silent redhead slowly followed suit and turned to follow his teacher, sparing one last glance at the sacked village below. Are we preparing for war, Mistress?

No, Himura. Cologne's aura flared to life about her, nearly tripling in size as she prepared for flight. We are preparing for the end...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

End Vignette I

Author's Note: Well, as promised, here is the next installment. Thought it'd be nice to put a chapter (well, sorta) out on my birthday. I'm 17 today! And it snowed, to top it all off! This has been a great b-day so far... ^_^

I hope to have chapter 6 out within the month; it will pick up from where chapter 5 left off, with the Shampoo/Kenshin fight. Also, I plan on rewriting the first five installments; after rereading the prologue and the first few chapters, I find myself... somewhat displeased with my writing. The plot will stay the same, nothing important will be edited out or whatnot, I'm just doing some basic maintenance on the grammatical aspect of the story. It's kinda odd, looking back, how much my writing style has changed over the years. ^^;; Hopefully for the better... Well, thanks for reading! Ja peoples!

~ Kess

P.S. ~ Oh, and pardon the Cologne bashing. She's just such a freaky gnome!

IMPORTANT! UPDATED AUTHOR'S NOTE: On the insistence of Larry F, webmaster/maintainer of the Lost Library of Florestica, which, on a side note, can be found at http://www.rakhal.com/florestica (shameless plug...)... what was I talking about again? Oh yeah. He suggested that I put dates, locations, and whatnot before flashbacks, to make it easier for the reader to identify that particular segment as a flashback. ^^;; I dunno why I didn't think of that before. So yeah, that's exactly what I did: I went back, and put basic, basic information before flashbacks. (country, season, years from present) Hope this helps to enhance your reading experience!

Oh, and thanks go out to that anonymous reviewer dubbed Skeptic; I'm still pretty new to the scene, and appreciate any C&C I get. Anywho, I hope to get out, if not another chapter, then a second interlude out within the month. Ja peoples!

~ Kess


	8. Portraits of the Past II: First Love

Waters of Change : Interludes

By: Kesshi Mashin

A Rurouni Kenshin/Ranma Nibunnoichi fusion.

For entertainment purposes only. No infringement intended. Ranma 1/2 is owned by Takahashi Rumiko. Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Author's Note: This isn't canon Ranma or Kenshin, you really don't need any previous knowledge of either to read this fanfiction, though it is helpful. Some ideas were also taken from Samurai X, a prequel of sorts to Rurouni Kenshin. 

* *: thoughts

Any C&C is welcome at: fxffects@hotmail.com

Reviews are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Be sure to visit my ffn page!

http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=61420

You will also be able to find me at The Lost Library of Florestica! Come on by! 

http://www.rakhal.com/florestica/kesshi/index.html

Portraits of the Past: 

Vignette II - First Love

China

Spring

15 years ago... 

... The night sky was overcast with a multitude of billowy clouds, bringing with them the promise of heavy showers. No light filtered through the dark mass; the city below the gathering of clouds was heavily shrouded in shadow and mist. A bolt of lightning briefly illuminated the area below, revealing a multitude of comdemned hovels, desolate marketplaces, and dozens of dismembered corpses lining the alleyways.

The dark streets were bathed in the blood of the Hitokiri Battousai's victims, a silent testament to the crimson haired assassin's grim skills. Kenshin stared down at his latest victim with barely any show of emotion, his stoic features enshrouded by blood-red locks of hair, which had come loose from it's typical ponytail during the brief scuffle. Almost without thought, the Battousai shed the blood from his steel blade with a mere flick of the wrist, sending flecks of crimson flying every which way, and resheathed his katana in one fluid motion with a grace that belied his years. This was the feared secret assassin of the Joketsuzoku, the only male to be revered by even the eldest of the Amazon matriachs, the most perfect warrior to ever-

Kenshin's attention was again drawn to the fine cut running across the length of his left cheek, a cut he had recieved from a near incompetent swordsman of no repute. He raised a hand up to his cheek, where he felt a thin trickle of blood begin to form. His calloused hand hovered above the wound for scant seconds, almost afraid to touch the thin laceration, before gingerly dabbing themselves against the warm fluid running down his face. *I'm bleeding...*

~~~~~ ~~~~~

15 years ago...

... Kenshin leaned heavily against the sides of the wash basin, staring down at his reflection as water continued to drip from his bangs. The cut had yet to end its bleeding; even now, it continued to trickle down the Battousai's face, dripping at a steady rate into the sink below. The ripples it created distorted the reflection below, an image of amber eyes framed by crimson tresses changing into something more sinister, more-

With a frustrated curse, the redhaired assassin knocked over the basin, spilling the now pink waters onto the wooden planks, the cracks between each strip of wood eagerly drinking in the tainted water. Sighing heavily, Kenshin slumped down against one of the walls and slid down onto the ground, running a shaky hand through his unbound hair in an attempt to calm himself. A nearby puddle caught the Battousai's eye, and he stared at the nearly unwavering reflection for a long time. He turned his face to one side, and continued to stare at the angry red line adorning his face. It still bled at an even pace, despite Kenshin's best efforts to staunch the bleeding. It was infuriating...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

15 years ago...

... a deluge of blood rained down onto Kenshin's head, the crimson precipitation quickly turning his dark blue hakama a sickening red shade. His opponent's sundered body landed with a dull thud a ways off, the nearly horizontal slash seperating his waist from his torso a gruesome sight, even for the likes of one such as the Battousai. However, Kenshin's attention was not captivated by the mangled corpse lying off to the side; rather, it was drawn towards the pale apparition standing across from him. The rain distorted her image slightly, but it was evident that her white kimono had been stained by flecks of blood from the quartering. Her hands and face, too, were covered with blood, giving the impression that she herself had been wounded. 

Before he could decide whether or not to dispatch of the only witness, Kenshin was startled out of his reverie by the sound of wooden sandals clacking against cobblestone. It was with a keen eye that Kenshin noticed her slightly drunken weaving, and he quickly stepped forward to catch the intoxicated woman, who had stumbled over a loose stone on the pathway. 

As she pressed against his blood-stained hakama, seemingly lucid eyes peered up into Kenshin's own eerily yellow ones, before shifting back down to stare at the generous amounts of red splattered upon the two of them. she began in a faintly drunken slur, you made the bloody rain fall... 

Kenshin felt the woman succumb to the gentle call of sleep, and cradled her limp body in his arms for a few minutes more in the pouring rain, whilst he thought of what to do with her. Finally, the red-haired assassin reached down and carefully gathered up his sword while still holding the girl in one arm, and with only the slightest of effort, gathered her limp body up into his arms and proceeded towards the nearest inn, the slightest flickering of violet momentarily discoloring his amber colored eyes...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Summer

15 years ago...

... Kenshin stared down at the small cup of sake sitting before him with the slightest of trepidation, right hand resting scant inches from the porcelain glass. It had tasted so bitter just weeks before, and the nights before that as well. Cologne had commented once on the bitterness of sake before sending Kenshin and Tomoe off to the mountains to lay low, but Kenshin merely dismissed it as nothing more than the inane ramblings of an elder. And yet, as Kenshin finally brought the sake to his lips and sipped of the warmed fluid, he couldn't help but curl the edges of his lips into what could pass for a smirk, at the very least; as amber eyes focused in on Tomoe's nervous features, one thought crossed the Battousai's mind before he began to partake of his supper. The sake didn't taste quite so bitter...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Autumn

15 years ago...

... Sister, you can't be serious! Ryouga stared up at his older sister in sheer disbelief, and shook his head furiously. It can't be true! I won't believe it! The irate ten year old stared up into his sister's eyes, searching for even the faintest glimmer of the hate that was once there. He killed Kyosato! You can't seriously say that you love him!? Tomoe! Tomoe!

Tomoe stared down at her brother for the briefest of moments before encircling him in a loose embrace, sighing softly at Ryouga's stubborness. After a moment, she broke the embrace and lifted Ryouga's chin so that they were eye to eye. It is good to see you again, brother, but it is time for you to leave. She knelt down before her shocked brother and gave him a slight peck on the cheek before firmly turning him about in place. Go home, Ryo-chan...

~~~~~ ~~~~~

Winter

15 years ago...

... Tomoe. It had all been a lie. Kenshin felt his body begin to grow numb from the snow, but he paid it no heed; thoughts of their final moments together, Tomoe's journal, and the realization that he had destroyed her happiness... they all served to fuel the deep seeded depression which had arisen again that morning, with the coming of dawn. He couldn't keep his promise to Tomoe, because he had already broken it so long ago...

The red-haired assassin collapsed to his knees in exhaustion, both physical and mental, and stared down at the purple sash he had affixed onto the the pommel of his katana. For the longest time he settled for merely staring at the piece of cloth with far-off, distant eyes. It was only then that the Battousai truly noticed the fact that his scar had reopened, and was beginning to trail blood down the left side of his face. He reached up gingerly and touched the wound, pulling his fingers back to stare at the blood that had coated his digits. *It will continue to bleed until the soul which inflicted the wound is appeased.* The words echoed loudly within Kenshin's mind, and memories from the past year began flooding into his mind's eye, drowning him in a deluge of images: of a dying Kyosato... a drunken Tomoe, bathed in blood... his first taste of sake since their meeting... their first kiss... their first coupling... his promise to her...

*Tomoe.* With a renewed sense of vigor, Kenshin stood from his seat amidst the snow, grip tightening upon the pommel of his katana. Using his sword as a makeshift crutch, the Battousai continued his slow march up the path, one thought constantly running through Kenshin's mind with each step forward. *What little happiness you have left in this world, Tomoe, I will protect... with my life...*

~~~~~ ~~~~~

End Vignette III

Author's Note: For those Ranma readers who are hopelessly lost and confused... I really am sorry. This little short had almost no Ranma in it, and was nearly exclusively Kenshin-oriented. ^^;; If you really want to better understand what's going on, or wish to fill in the time gaps inbetween each scene, then I highly recommend that you stock-load your refridgerator with all the snacking essentials, go out and either a) purchase or b) rent the entire series (well, up to episode 65 or somethin...) and the OAVs (you can skip the movie), call in sick for the next two weeks, and watch it all surrounded by friends and other otaku freaks who can't get enough of that butter knife wielding domestic/bad-ass assassin who takes cool to a whole new level. Gotta sweat the oro. Well, enough rambling from me. Thanks for reading this far! 

~ Kess

IMPORTANT! UPDATED AUTHOR'S NOTE: On the insistence of Larry F, webmaster/maintainer of the Lost Library of Florestica, which, on a side note, can be found at http://www.rakhal.com/florestica (shameless plug...)... what was I talking about again? Oh yeah. He suggested that I put dates, locations, and whatnot before flashbacks, to make it easier for the reader to identify that particular segment as a flashback. ^^;; I dunno why I didn't think of that before. So yeah, that's exactly what I did: I went back, and put basic, basic information before flashbacks. (country, season, years from present) Hope this helps to enhance your reading experience!

Oh, and thanks go out to that anonymous reviewer dubbed Skeptic; I'm still pretty new to the scene, and appreciate any C&C I get. Anywho, I hope to get out, if not another chapter, then a second interlude out within the month. Ja peoples!

~ Kess


End file.
